henby smith



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GAN FILLING MACHINE.

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Patentedl Nov. Z7, 1883.v l MT f-fal l O -M -.HMHHHHMM ,..1 wm,

INVENTOJQ ma 'WITNES 635 f N. PETEs. Nolo-mman". washingfm n.1;

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

'L'. H. SMITH. GAN FILLING MACHINE.

[,[dgatented Nov. Z7, 1883.

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A GAN HLLJINGl MAGHINE. No. 289,155.

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Patented Nov. 27, 1883'.

- l UNITED STATES PATENT trice..

L. HENRY SMITH, OF SALEM, JERSEY, 'ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFl TO THOMAS B. STARR AND`RICHARD T. STARR, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

CAN-FILLING MACHiNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 289,155, dated November 27, 1883.

Application tiled August 29,1883. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom iti may concern:

Be it known that I, L. HENRY SMITH, a citi- Zen of the United States, resid-ing in Salem, Salem county, New Jersey, haveinvented certain improvements in Can-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for lling cans with tomatoes or other vegetables or with fruit, the object of my invention being to facilitate the operation of the plunger, to proi vide a close joint at the top ofthe can, and to permit the free escape of air or surplus material from the can during the lling operation. These objects l attain in the manner hereinafter, set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l, Sheet 1, is a side View, partly in section, of my improved can-filling machine, Fig. 2, Sheet 2, a plan view of part ofthe same 5 Fig. 8, a plan view on the. line l 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detached viewof part of Fig. 1,with some of the parts in a difterent position; Fig. 4, a front view of part of the machine; Fig. 5, Sheet- 3, a plan View of the valve; and Fig. 6, a vertical section of the can-holder, valve, and valve-guide. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are on a larger scale than Figs. l, 2, 3, and 3".

A A are the opposite side frames of the machine, having suitable transverse supportsfor the filling-spout B, straining-box l), valve-` guide E, and can-carrier F, and transverse rods e, to which are hung a treadle, G, and a pair of levers, H, the treadle being connected.

to the levers by rods G', and the `levers having rods H', whereby they are connected to a cross-head, H2, guided in the side frames and carrying the plunger I. `The plunger works freely in the lling-sj'iout B, and the latter communicates through'a funnel, B', with the straining-box D, which has a perforated false bottom, D', so that the greater portion of the juice is drained from the vegetables or fruit deposited in the box, and permitted to pass oil1 through a pipe, c.

The can-carrier consists of a table, F, having wheels @which are adapted to rails d on a platform, J, the latter being supported upon set-screws f, carried by the transverse bar f of. the frame, whereby said platform can be adj usted to any height which the size of the can may suggest, the platform being guided in its movement by a dowel-pin, f2. The rails d have inclined portions d', so that as the table F is moved outward it will fall to a certain extent, there being a corresponding rise of the table as it is pushed inward, stops g g', on the bar f', serving to limit the movement of the table in both directions. An adjustable gageplate, h, on the bar f and a plate, i., likewise adjustable on the table F, serve to insure such an adjustment of the can m that when the table has been pushed inward to its full extent, the opening in the ca-n will be in line with the mouth of the filling-spout. Sliding on the valve-guide E is a valve, M, which is connected by a rod, 7c, to an arm, k, on a rock-shaft, m, another rod, a, connecting said arm to the gage-plate rod, p, which is guided in a bracket, p', on the frame, and is acted on by a spring, p2, the tendency of which is to push the table F outward. The valve M has an opening, s, of the saine diameter as the mouth of the filling-spout, and an opening, s', in the valveguide, E, a flange, si, surrounding the opening s, so as to forxn a passage for the vegetables or fruit from the spout to the can. On the under side of the valve is a plate, N, which is guidedV on the ange s"l and on the supporting-pins t, and is free to move vertically to a limited extent independently of the valve, the under side of this plate carrying a ring, fw, of rubber or other elastic or semi-elastic material for forming a joint with the top of the can. The weight of the plate N may be relied upon to cause it to press on the can, or suitable springs may be interposed between said plate and the valve. In the valve is a chamber, y, and in the flange s2 is an annular passage, y', communicating therewith, a passage of large area, and extending entirely around the mouth of the can, being thus provided for the escape of the air or surplus material during the filling of the can.

Theoperation of the machine is as follows: The can is applied to the table F while the latter is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the valve being closed and the plunger I elevated. The can and supporting-table are then pushed inward, the rollers b running on the rails d, so as to elevate the can and press the top of the same firmly against the ring w on the plate N.

To the latter is also attached a IOO the valve M following this movement, so as to close the filling-spout, and the can x falling,

so as to free it from contact with the ring ai on the plate N, and thus permit its removal and the application of an empty can to the table F. By weighting the levers H and treadle G the weight of the plunger and its connections is balanced much more effectively than with the usual springs, the tension of which is greatest when the plunger is depressed, so'

that it tends to interfere with the desired forcible descent 'of the' plunger, whereas the momentum acquired by the weights on the levers and treadle tends to aid rather than \detract from the forcible thrust of the plunger. rlhe levers only or the treadle only may be weighted, if desired; but I. prefer to weight both, as shown.

By providing the valve with a loose plate carrying the packing-ring slight variations in the height of the cans is compensated for that is to say, variations other than the general variations for which the adjustable platform J is intended.

I claim as my invention- Then the can isl filled, the table F is allowed to move outward,

l. The combination of the filling-spout and plunger of a can-filling machine With 'a longitudinally-movable can-holding table, F, and inclined supporting-rails d therefor, as set forth.

2. r[he combination of the filling-spout and plunger of the machine With inclined supporting-rails d, a platform, J, carrying the same, and adjusting setscrewsf, as set forth.

3. The combination of the valve of a canfilling machine With a yielding plate for mak-`V ing a joint with the top of the can, as set forth.

4. The valve M, having a dischargechamber, y, formed therein for the escape of air and juices from the can, as set forth.

5. The valve M, havingthe discharge-chamber y, the opening s, and the annular iiange s2, with passage y communicating with the chamber y, as set forth.

' 6. The combination of the cairearrier I", the filling-spout, the valve M and connections, substantially as described, between the Valve and can-carrier, whereby the reciprocation of the valve is effected simultaneously with the adjustment of the can, as set forth.

7 lIhe combination of the plunger I with the actuating devices, counterbalanced as described, whereby the momentum of the balancing-weights adds to the force of the plunger, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Y L. HENRY SMITH.

IVitnesses:

HARRY Il. AsHnNFnL'rnn, 'HENRY HoWsoN, Jr. 

